K205 Module 2: Research In Kinesiology

FHV: Reflect on how evidence-based practice will inform someone’s work as a practitioner 

Emma discusses how her applied practice and teaching is informed by research
She tries to balance the 3 key elements of EBP

1. Patient values and preferences

2. Research evidence 

3. Clinical experience

Describe what research is

Gather and analyzing information. 
It must contribute to NEW knowledge

Identify 9 dimensions of research

1. Topic 

2. Novelty 

3. Scope

4. Methodology

5. Mode of inquiry

6. Technology 

7. Ideology

8. Politics

9. Utility 

Describe the 9 dimensions of research 

1. Topic:

biophysical to psychosocial 

2. Novelty:

Distinction between past or new knowledge.

Generally research contributes to  new knowledge; past knowledge would be a literature review

3. Scope: 

Large or small sample size 

4. Methodology: 

Quantitative: main word is MEASURE

Qualitative: Data collection with researcher-as-instrument

Mixed methods:

5. Mode of inquiry:

Observation: no intervention. Gather info about the world as it is

Experimental: intervention and seeing if there is cause and effect of two or more variables

6. Technology: 

Using an existing tech or developing a new method 

7. Ideology: 

Objective vs philosophy

Qual: researcher brings their own worldview/lens

Quant: try to be as objective as possible

Worldview?

8. Politics

Neutral or partisan approach?

Partisan = enacting social change or action research 

9. Utility: 

• Basic: how does this work? in highly controlled setting such as lab. Used to find cause and effect

•  Applied: how can we use this knowledge to help people? less controlled settings such as field work. Understand change or impact health and behavior

Distinguish between literature reviews, systematic reviews, meta-synthesis and meta-analyses

Lit review: 

• No methods section

• Can be qualitative or quantitative 

Systematic review: 

• Has methods section

• Qualitative or quantitative 

Meta-syntheses

• Has methods section 

• qualitative

Meta-analyses:

• Has methods section 

• Bringing similar articles tgt and establishing an effect size 

Identify topics of research in kinesiology 

Biophysical: biology, physics, chemistry

Psychosocial: psychology, sociology

Understand the purpose of small and large sample sizes 

Small: 

• Used for qualitative research

• helps to spend more time with participants

• gain in-depth understanding of the phenomenon interested in

Large:

• Helpful to understand what generally happens

Distinguish between experimental and non-experimental/observational research

Experimental:

intervention

Non-experimental:

no intervention, just observing the world as it is 

Identify characteristics of quantitative and qualitative research

1. What is it?

2. Typically understood as

3. Generally used for

4. How is it gathered?

What is assessed in each of them?

Quantitative: think numbers

1. dealing with numbers

   • assigning a quantity to a variable

2. Variables

   • Using numbers to test a relationship

3. Testing hypotheses

4. Data collection with an instrument 

   • Surveys/questionnaires, performance and physiological measures

• Assess validity and reliability, NOT credibility and trustworthiness

Qualitative: think words

1. Dealing with words

   • central phenomenon to be explored 

2. Thematic analysis of data (inductively/deductively)

3. Hypothesis generating, exploring concepts

4. Data generation with “researcher as instrument” 

   1. Open ended surveys/questionnaires, interviews

• Assess credibility and trustworthiness

Understand the relationship between basic and applied research

Basic:

• How does this work?

• Occurs in lab environment: highly controlled setting

Applied:

• How can we use this knowledge to help people?

• Occurs in the field: less controlled setting

What is effect size? How does meta analyses use ES?

How much or how strong

Takes the ES from multiple studies and does a super ES

What is validation in quantitative research

Test that the instrument is a good measure of the construct we are addressing

Validity vs Reliability

Validity: Accuracy

• are we measuring what we think we are measuring

Reliability: Consistency

• Is it going to be consistent across time